NEPC, Customs reaffirm commitment to seamless trade facilitation

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) have reaffirmed their commitment to provide seamless trade facilitation for exporting companies.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni who led a team of NEPC Management on a working visit to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi in Abuja.

Ayeni reiterated the important role the customs play in trade facilitation and thereby sought collaboration as regards the development and promotion of Made-in-Nigeria products. “We believe the Customs is very key to the NEPC achieving its mandate to diversify the economic base of the nation”, she added.

She  therefore solicited the support of the Customs in the area of export logistics and streamlining of trade facilitation, mainstreaming of Cross Border Trade (CBT) to address the issue of fund repatriation, revamping of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Visa Stamp as well as the issue of Rule-of-Origin Certificate for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocols.

While seeking the collaboration with the Customs towards the operationalization of the Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW), Ayeni also commended the introduction of the Electronic Call-up System by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) noting that the process has significantly reduced delays in the inspection and clearance of goods at the terminals and thereby eased the perennial gridlock along the port corridors.

Responding, the Comptroller General who commended the NEPC boss for her initiatives and proactive steps towards repositioning the non-oil sector for sustainable growth said there was a need by all stakeholders to address the issue of export data which shows significant increase in volume of exports but a decrease in the repatriation of export proceeds.

Adeniyi was of the view that to enhance the repatriation of export proceeds by exporting companies the whole process must be automated adding that there was a need for the NPA to create a Green Line dedicated for trucks that have been cleared to ease delays at the port of exist and thereby enhance trade facilitation.